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For the right price...I think that it's a great idea. The G4 iBook 1.42ghz is still a pretty peppy computer...and would certainly be great for almost all web surfing & e-mail.

Personally...I would prefer the 1.33ghz 12" iBook G4 model...since it's even lighter, smaller, and more portable. But the 14" display is very nice as well.

I say go for it...just don't over pay for it. If you pay too much...then you might as well get a used MacBook.

- Nick

- Too many "beachballs", read this: Beachballs- Computer seems slower than it used to? Read this for some slow computer tips: Speedup- Almost full hard drive? Some solutions. Out of Space- Apple Battery Info. Battery

That's a pretty good price area. The lowest I've paid for a used MacBook was around $350...maybe even $300 (if you're lucky on a very early 1.83ghz Core Duo MacBook). So $175 to $200 would be a good area for a 14" 1.42 iBook G4.

If you have many to choose from...get one with OS 10.5 already installed.

Good luck,

- Nick

- Too many "beachballs", read this: Beachballs- Computer seems slower than it used to? Read this for some slow computer tips: Speedup- Almost full hard drive? Some solutions. Out of Space- Apple Battery Info. Battery

Actually the iBook G4 1.42ghz originally shipped with OS 10.4.2. What you read on the Wiki probably was it's maximum or newest OS is 10.5.8.

But many folks may have upgraded it to a version of 10.5. Thus what I was referring to...if you have a choice between a number of these computers...and with everything else the same...buy one with OS 10.5 already installed on it.

- Nick

- Too many "beachballs", read this: Beachballs- Computer seems slower than it used to? Read this for some slow computer tips: Speedup- Almost full hard drive? Some solutions. Out of Space- Apple Battery Info. Battery

I just recentally got a 1.2 g4 ibook with 512 mb ram, it works nice the way it is but i will probably update the ram to 1.25gb soon just because. it is running 10.5.8 nicely the way it is. it is the 12 inch model as well

While I am in no way trying to diss the G4 iBook idea, an iPad would be a much better idea in the long run for "couch computing" unless what you really want to do is play flash games.

Yes, the iPad will cost you (used) more than twice what the iBook G4 would ... but its a quantum order of magnitude more modern, and FANTASTIC for almost everything I would classify as "leisure computing" ... surfing, reading, email, voice chatting, games, videos, and other idle ventures.

While I am in no way trying to diss the G4 iBook idea, an iPad would be a much better idea in the long run for "couch computing" unless what you really want to do is play flash games.

Yes, the iPad will cost you (used) more than twice what the iBook G4 would ... but its a quantum order of magnitude more modern, and FANTASTIC for almost everything I would classify as "leisure computing" ... surfing, reading, email, voice chatting, games, videos, and other idle ventures.

If what they really want to do is play flash games, then an iBook probably wouldn't be a very good idea either. My iBook is chewed up, spit out, and ground into the dirt by flash. This is probably due to the little 32MB of VRAM that it has.

- plans are for the laptop
- how big their budget is
- and if they already own a laptop

$175-$200 for portable Mac (1.42ghz iBook) for basic/intermediate web surfing & e-mail is a pretty good low cost solution. I would certainly recommend a used MacBook or a refurbished iPad if there was a bigger budget.

- Nick

- Too many "beachballs", read this: Beachballs- Computer seems slower than it used to? Read this for some slow computer tips: Speedup- Almost full hard drive? Some solutions. Out of Space- Apple Battery Info. Battery

These are all things that I have been tossing around. This was more of a feeler for how you thought the Ibook was. and now that you bring up the video capabilities and such I will probably pass on the Ibook and work twords a used Macbook for the wife and since we would need two maybe just an iPad V2 when they come out for me.

I have an Intel imac 1.83 GHz with 2 Gig ram running SN, and a 1.33 GHz ibook with 1.5 gig ram running Leopard. The iBook works just as well as the imac on line, including youtube, after installing Flash 10. my 933 mhz Powermac with Leopard works very good on line too. my G3 imac with Tiger, well it just looks good sitting there.